1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device which has a substrate with an insulating surface and a layer member including a conductive or semiconductive layer formed in a pattern on the substrate. The invention also pertains to a method for the manufacture of such an electronic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore a variety of electronic devices have been proposed which have a substrate with an insulating surface and a layer member including a conductive or semiconductive layer formed in a pattern on the substrate.
The layer member is formed of, for example, a conductive layer member having a conductive layer as in the case of an inter-connection layer. Another example of the layer member is formed by a conductive or semiconductive layer member which includes a conductive or semiconductive layer formed of a conductive or semiconductive material of a desired resistivity as is the case with a resistor layer. Another example of the layer member is constituted by a laminate member having a structure in which a first conductive layer serving as a first electrode, a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer member having a PN or PIN junction and a second conductive layer serving as a second electrode are laminated in that order as in the case of a nonlinear segment the voltage-current characteristic of which shows a diode characteristic in a positive or negative voltage region. Yet another example of the layer member is made up of a laminate member having a structure in which a first conductive layer serving as a first electrode, a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer member having a NIN, NP.sup.- N, PIP, PN.sup.- P, NIPIN, NP.sup.- PP.sup.- N, PINIP or PN.sup.- NN.sup.- P junction and a second conductive layer serving as a second electrode are laminated in that order as in the case of a nonlinear element the voltage-current characteristic of which exhibits a diode characteristic in positive and negative regions.
Another example of the layer member is formed of a laminate member having a structure in which a first conductive layer serving as a first electrode, an I-, P.sup.- or N.sup.- type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and a second conductive layer serving as a second electrode are laminated in that order as in the case of a nonlinear element which shows a nonlinear voltage-current characteristic. Yet another example of the layer member is formed of a laminate member having a structure in which a first conductive layer serving as a first electrode, an insulating layer serving as a barrier layer thin enough to permit the passage therethrough of a tunnel current and a second conductive layer serving as a second electrode are laminated in that order as in the case of a nonlinear element which shows a nonlinear voltage-current characteristic.
In the above electronic devices, if outer side faces of the laminate member which extend thickwise thereof are exposed to the open air, there is a fear that the outer side faces will be changed in quality by the components of air, resulting in degradation of the characteristic of the laminate member. Furthermore, dust sill adhere to the exposed outer side faces, introducing the possibility of an electrical leakage occurring thereon. Accordingly, the characteristics of the electronic devices are likely to be deteriorated by the open air.